LRRS Weekend No. 4 July 23-24
Loudon Road Racing Series event weekend No. 4 was held July 23-24 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. At the halfway point of the season, series regulars began thinking ahead toward the 2011 season championships.
Middleweight Grand Prix – Dash for Cash Event
The last race of the Saturday afternoon program is always an exciting way to bring the day’s racing to an end. This weekend’s Middleweight Grand Prix did not disappoint. As the green flag dropped, Argo Cycles/Dunlop’s Scott Greenwood grabbed the holeshot leading a tight pack into turn 1. Penguin Racing School’s Eric Wood aboard his Ducati 848EVO slotted into second position with Shane Narbonne’s DAS Performance Suzuki GSX-R600 in third. This trio was closely trailed by Tyler Sweeney, Cory Hildebrand, Christian Cronin, Jason Carter and the rest of the pack.
Early on, Scott Greenwood was looking confident up front. Narbonne, however, had other ideas. First, he worked his way past a charging Wood in turn 3 and set out after the leader. Dipping into the 1:11 range, Narbonne turned the fastest laps of the race while working his way to the lead. By lap three, he caught Greenwood and began sizing up the veteran rider for the lead. On lap four, Narbonne made a strong late braking maneuver to overtake Greenwood into turn 6. Greenwood stuck close for a few laps keeping the pressure on Narbonne, but Shane rode mistake free. Working his way through traffic, Narbonne was flawless and left no opportunity for Greenwood to pounce. Unaffected by the high track temps and low available grip, the dirt-tracker-turned-road-racer Narbonne was able to ride consistent and pull a gap over Greenwood, who in turn was pulling away from third place Wood.
At the end, Narbonne held on to win his third Middleweight Dash for Cash event of 2011. Greenwood and Wood held on to finish second and third, respectively, with up-and-coming rider Tyler Sweeney in fourth. Cory Hildebrand rode a solid race to claim fifth. Christian Cronin, Jason Carter, Charles Sandoz, Christopher Watt and Ronald Poulin rounded out the top-10 finishing positions.
During the Victory Lane celebrations, race winner Shane Narbonne had this to say, “After I got by Eric and put a bit of a gap on him, I put my head down to catch Scotty. I tried to make a move going into the bowl that was a little hairy and was able to get him the next lap in that same turn. From there, I tried to ride consistent and not make any mistakes in traffic. It feels great to win my third Dash for Cash event of the season.”
Scott Greenwood, while not thrilled with second place on the day, is thinking about the big picture. “I really thought, after getting the holeshot, that I could control the pace and get my first Dash for Cash win,” said Greenwood. “Shane was very strong today, and after he passed me I could see just how comfortable he was sliding his bike on corner exits. He rode really well today. We made a step in the right direction compared to last event, and we will finish out strong from here on out.”
Sunday’s race events were held under slightly lower temperatures (mid 80s). Expert Thunderbike pitted Rick Doucette versus Championship rival Scott Mullin. Shohegan Valley Motorsports Scott Mullin, racing his father in-law’s Ducati Sport 1000 with limited practice, grabbed the holeshot at the start of the eight-lap sprint. Doucette, on his Plaistow Powersports Suzuki SV650 Superbike, snatched the lead from Mullin on lap two. Doucette’s plan was to put his head down and put in a string of 1:14 lap times to build a gap over Mullin. Mullin was able to stay with Doucette, and on lap four, Mullin was late on the brakes into turn 3 but ran wide on the exit. AS a result, Doucette was able to retake the top position. Mullin overtook Doucette with another move into turn three on the next lap. This time, Mullin was able to hold his line on the inside of the turn and take control of the race. Doucette was not done and threw everything he had at Mullin, including side-by-side action exiting turn 6 for the remaining laps. Mullin rode strong to earn the victory and stretch his points lead over Doucette. He also earned a new personal best lap time of 1:14.913. Bob Poetzsch enjoyed a solid race on his Yamaha TZ250 take home 3rd Position. Riley Rodgers and Johnny Boudreau rounded out the top-five.
Afterwards, a thrilled Scott Mullin had this to say: “That was the most fun race I have ever had. After I passed him, he was showing me a wheel and I could feel him pressuring me. Rick is such a strong competitor and smart rider. It’s a great accomplishment to be able to race with and battle for race wins against a rider like him. Thanks to Souhegan Valley Motorsports, my crew, my family and all my sponsors for their support.”
The Loudon Road Race Series will be back in action at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for round five, Aug. 20 – 21. For more information please visit: ~http://www.nhms.com/schedule/club/lrrs/~.
Expert Results
Formula 40 1. Dennis Levesque (Ducati) 2. Jason Carter (Yamaha) 3. Neal Garvin (Suzuki) 4. Jim Rich (Aprilia) 5. Paul Grimes (Kawasaki)
Formula 40 Lights 1. Bob Poetzsch 2. Rick Doucette 3. Douglas Fogg 4. Ted Temple 5. Jonathan Burbank 6. David Sargent
Formula 50 1. Neal Garvin (Suzuki) 2. Jonathan Burbank (Suzuki) 3. Douglas Fogg (Buell) 4. Victor Landau (Suzuki)
Formula 50 Lights 1. Dan Frisbie 2. Douglas Fogg 3. Bob Poetzsch 4. David White 5. Jonathan Burbank 6. David Sargent
GTL 1. Rick Doucette (Suzuki) 2. Scott Mullin (Kawasaki) 3. Peter Gaboriault (Suzuki) 4. Glenn Coolbeth (Suzuki) 5. Bob Poetzsch (Yamaha) 6. Michael Weyant (Suzuki)
GTO 1. Brett Guyer (Aprilia) 2. Cory Hildebrand (Yamaha) 3. Neal Garvin (Suzuki)
GTU 1. Scott Greenwood (Yamaha) 2. Jason Carter (Yamaha) 3. Zev Ginsberg (Yamaha) 4. Paul Grimes (Kawasaki) 5. Alex Guilbeault (Yamaha) 6. Johnny Boudreau (Ducati)
HW Superbike 1. Eric Wood (Ducati) 2. Tyler Sweeney (Yamaha) 3. Dennis Levesque (Ducati) 4. Jason Carter (Yamaha) 5. Alex Merrell (Suzuki) 6. Neal Garvin (Suzuki)
HW Supersport 1. Shane Narbonne (Suzuki) 2. Cory Hildebrand (Yamaha) 3. Rick Doucette (Suzuki) 4. Joel Allen (Yamaha) 5. Neal Garvin (Suzuki) 6. Houk Nichols (Yamaha)
LW Grand Prix 1. Rick Doucette 2. Scott Mullin 3. Dan Frisbie 4. Peter Gaboriault 5. Chris Cucinotta 6. Douglas Fogg
LW Sportsman 1. Eric Block 2. Jason Hillsgrove 3. Jason Cavanaugh 4. Eric Shaw 5. Martin Hanlon 6. Steven Heider
LW Supersport 1. Rick Doucette 2. Peter Gaboriault 3. Scott Mullin 4. Mark Dages 5. Chris Cucinotta 6. Sean Byrnes
Motard 1. Shane Narbonne (Honda) 2. Eric Block (KTM) 3. Jason Hillsgrove (KTM) 4. Eric Shaw (Aprilia) 5. Jason Cavanaugh (Honda) 6. Ryan Oosterman (KTM)
MW Grand Prix 1. Shane Narbonne 2. Scott Greenwood 3. Eric Wood 4. Tyler Sweeney 5. Cory Hildebrand 6. Christian Cronin
MW Production Twins 1. Rick Doucette (Suzuki) 2. Mark Dages (Suzuki) 3. Branch Worsham (Suzuki) 4. Glenn Coolbeth (Suzuki)
MW Superbike 1. Eric Wood 2. Scott Greenwood 3. Jason Carter 4. Cory Hildebrand 5. Houk Nichols 6. Ronald Poulin
MW Supersport 1. Scott Greenwood (Yamaha) 2. Tyler Sweeney (Yamaha) 3. Cory Hildebrand (Yamaha) 4. Jason Carter (Yamaha) 5. Houk Nichols (Yamaha) 6. Ronald Poulin (Yamaha)
Production Twins 1. Mark Dages (Kawasaki) 2. Branch Worsham (Kawasaki) 3. Joseph Latona (Kawasaki) 4. Steven Heider (Kawasaki) 5. Mike Defazio (Kawasaki) 6. Bill Ormerod (Ducati 620S)
Super Singles 1. Michael Martire 2. Eric Block 3. Jason Cavanaugh 4. Ryan Oosterman 5. Eric Shaw 6. Martin Hanlon
Super Twins 1. Eric Wood (Ducati) 2. Dennis Levesque (Ducati) 3. Charles Sandoz (Ducati) 4. Jim Rich (Aprilia) 5. Johnny Boudreau (Ducati)
Thunderbike 1. Scott Mullin (Ducati Sport 1000) 2. Rick Doucette (Suzuki SV650) 3. Bob Poetzsch (Yamaha TZ250) 4. Riley Rodgers (Suzuki SV650) 5. Johnny Boudreau (Ducati 748)
Ultralight Superbike 1. Charles Sandoz (Ducati Monster) 2. Michael Martire (Kawasaki) 3. Eric Shaw (Aprilia SXV) 4. Eric Block (ktm) 5. Jason Cavanaugh (Honda) 6. Joel Taylor (Ducati)
Unlimited Grand Prix 1. Brett Guyer (Aprilia) 2. Cory Hildebrand (Yamaha) 3. Simon Wilson (Suzuki)
Unlimited Superbike 1. Scott Greenwood (Yamaha) 2. Cory Hildebrand (Yamaha) 3. Brett Guyer (Aprilia) 4. Charles Sandoz (Ducati) 5. Zev Ginsberg (Yamaha) 6. Neal Garvin (Suzuki)
Unlimited Supersport 1. Scott Greenwood (Yamaha) 2. Tyler Sweeney (Yamaha) 3. Brett Guyer (Aprilia) 4. Neal Garvin (Suzuki) 5. Zev Ginsberg 6. Wojciech Kasperuk (Yamaha)
Amateur and Novice Results
Amateur 125 Grand Prix 1. Chun Eng (Honda) 2. Jake Vader (Honda) 3. Roland Arsenault (Honda) 4. Joe Ufnal (Honda)
Amateur Formula 40 1. Mike Clark (Yamaha) 2. Dave Tasker (Honda)
Amateur Formula 50 1. David Eilenberger (Yamaha) 2. Kurt Swenson (Ducati)
Amateur Formula 50 Lights 1. Jerry Randall (KTM 560SMR) 2. Kevin Quinn (Yamaha)
Amateur GTL 1. David Dayon (Suzuki) 2. Christian Smutnick (Honda) 3. Chauncey Vieira (Honda) 4. Matthew Gendron (Honda) 5. Brett Larson (Suzuki) 6. Trevor Chiappisi (Kawasaki)
Amateur GTO 1. Angel Nunez (Suzuki) 2. Richard Maracina (Kawasaki) 3. Kevin Frost (Yamaha)
Amateur GTU 1. Kristofer Knopf (Kawasaki) 2. Kevin Patterson (Suzuki) 3. Dylan Adams (Suzuki) 4. Seth Robinson (Yamaha) 5. Brian Campbell (Yamaha) 6. Tanner Ose (Suzuki)
Amateur HW Superbike 1. Justin Pallein (Yamaha ) 2. Richard Maracina (Kawasaki ) 3. Mike Clark (Yamaha) 4. Kevin Patterson (Suzuki) 5. Jerry Randall (Yamaha) 6. Dave Tasker (Honda)
Amateur HW Supersport 1. James Flagg (Yamaha) 2. Justin Pallein (Yamaha) 3. Richard Maracina (Kawasaki) 4. Shawn Pigott (Suzuki) 5. Orlando Gonzalez (Yamaha ) 6. Kevin Patterson (Suzuki)
Amateur LW Grand Prix 1. David Dayon (Suzuki) 2. Michael Kurtz (Suzuki) 3. David Pang (Kawasaki) 4. Keith Draghi (Suzuki) 5. Chuck Boucher (Suzuki) 6. Brett Larson (Suzuki)
Amateur LW Sportsman 1. Coleman Larlee (Kawasaki) 2. Kevin Quinn (Yamaha) 3. Daniel Kapnis (Kawasaki)
Amateur LW Superbike 1. David Dayon (Suzuki) 2. Keith Draghi (Suzuki) 3. David Pang (Kawasaki) 4. Brett Larson (Suzuki) 5. Bill Coolahan (Suzuki) 6. Lorna Murphy (Suzuki)
Amateur LW Supersport 1. Michael Kurtz (Suzuki) 2. Keith Draghi (Suzuki)
Amateur Motard 1. Trevor Chiappisi (Kawasaki) 2. Chauncey Vieira (Honda) 3. Christian Smutnick (Honda) 4. Trevor Arvidson (Honda) 5. Matthew Gendron (Honda) 6. Lori Shaw (Yamaha)
Amateur MW Grand Prix 1. Angel Nunez (Kawasaki) 2. Kristofer Knopf (Kawasaki) 3. Richard Maracina (Kawasaki) 4. Justin Pallein (Yamaha) 5. Orlando Gonzalez (Yamaha) 6. Tony Esposito (Kawasaki)
Amateur MW Superbike 1. Kristofer Knopf (Kawasaki) 2. James Flagg (Yamaha) 3. Angel Nunez (Kawasaki) 4. David Kagan (Honda) 5. Michael Langlitz (Yamaha) 6. Richard Maracina (Kawasaki)
Amateur MW Supersport 1. Justin Pallein (Yamaha) 2. Kristofer Knopf (Kawasaki) 3. James Flagg (Yamaha) 4. Tony Esposito (Kawasaki) 5. Shawn Pigott (Suzuki) 6. Jeff Brown (Yamaha)
Amateur Production Twins 1. Daniel Kapnis (Kawasaki) 2. Coleman Larlee (Kawasaki)
Amateur MW Superbike 1. Kristofer Knopf (Kawasak) 2. James Flagg (Yamaha) 3. Angel Nunez (Kawasaki) 4. David Kagan (Honda) 5. Michael Langlitz (Yamaha) 6. Richard Maracina (Kawasaki)
Amateur MW Supersport 1. Justin Pallein (Yamaha) 2. Kristofer Knopf (Kawasaki) 3. James Flagg (Yamaha) 4. Tony Esposito (Kawasaki) 5. Shawn Pigott (Suzuki) 6. Jeff Brown (Yamaha)
Amateur Production Twins 1. Daniel Kapnis (Kawasaki) 2. Coleman Larlee (Kawasaki)
Amateur Super Singles 1. Trevor Chiappisi (undefined) 2. Jerry Randall (KTM) 3. Christian Smutnick (Honda) 4. Trevor Arvidson (Honda) 5. Chauncey Vieira (Honda) 6. Matthew Gendron (Honda)
Amateur Super Twins 1. Tim Hogan (Ducati) 2. Kevin Russell (Ducati) 3. Matthew Dipadua (Ducati)
Amateur Thunderbike 1. Tim Hogan (Ducati) 2. Kevin Russell (Ducati) 3. Matthew Dipadua (Ducati) 4. Kevin Fogg (Suzuki)
Amateur Ultralight Superbike 1. Christian Smutnick (Honda) 2. Trevor Arvidson (Honda) 3. Chip Hawthorne (KTM smr560) 4. Andrew Kourafas (Honda) 5. Matthew Gendron (Honda) 6. Livio Biasiutti (KTM)
Amateur Unlimited Grand Prix 1. Angel Nunez (Suzuki) 2. Dylan Adams (Suzuki) 3. Lorenzo Pecora (Yamaha)
Amateur Unlimited Superbike 1. Angel Nunez (Suzuki) 2. Justin Pallein (Yamaha) 3. Tanner Ose (Suzuki) 4. David Kagan (Honda)
Amateur Unlimited Supersport 1. Justin Pallein (Yamaha) 2. Mike Clark (Yamaha) 3. Tony Esposito (Kawasaki) 4. Dave Tasker (Honda) 5. Dylan Adams (Suzuki)
Novice GTL 1. Christopher Aho (Suzuki) 2. Brady Ward (Suzuki) 3. Mark Parker (Suzuki) 4. Adam Nedeau (Ducati) 5. Douglas Santerre (Suzuki) 6. Aaron Fung (Suzuki)
Novice GTO 1. Lucas House (Suzuki) 2. Brett Babaian (Honda) 3. Christopher Bouchard (Ducati) 4. Ben Hicks (Yamaha) 5. Tyler Santerre (Honda) 6. Jack Mach (Suzuki)
Novice GTU 1. Brian Killmeier (Honda) 2. Paul Magliochetti (Kawasaki) 3. Jim Mcconville (Suzuki) 4. Roger Ealy Sr. (Kawasaki) 5. Stephen Biehl (Kawasaki) 6. Mark Parker (Suzuki)
Novice LW Grand Prix 1. Christopher Aho (Suzuki) 2. John Banwell (Suzuki) 3. Jay McCarthy (Suzuki) 4. Salvatore Finocchiaro (Suzuki) 5. Mark Parker (Suzuki) 6. Douglas Santerre (Suzuki)
Novice MW Superbike 1. Brian Killmeier (Honda) 2. Michael Arbo (Suzuki) 3. Brett Babaian (Honda) 4. Christopher Bouchard (Ducati) 5. Paul Magliochetti (Kawasaki) 6. Jim Mcconville (Suzuki)
Novice Ultra Light Grand Prix 1. Daniel Peladeau (Ducati) 2. Charles Clark (Suzuki) 3. Steven Oeschger (Kawasaki) 4. Michael Vinciulla (Kawasaki) 5. Joel Robie (Husqvarna) 6. Paul Sturges (Suzuki)
Novice Ultra Light GTL 1. Charles Clark (Suzuki) 2. Salvatore Finocchiaro (Suzuki) 3. Lyall Hamilton-Miller (Yamaha) 4. Steven Oeschger (Kawasaki) 5. Michael Marsden (Ducati) 6. Paul Sturges (Suzuki)
Novice Ultralight Superbike 1. Drew Lawler (Honda) 2. Lyall Hamilton-Miller (Yamaha) 3. Michael Vinciulla (Kawasaki) 4. Michael Marsden (Ducati)